Student impostor at 2 Yuma high schools charged with felony counts of forgery, sex with minor

Ariz. student impostor facing 14 felony charges

YUMA, Ariz. — Authorities say a 22-year-old man accused of posing as a student at two Arizona high schools so he could earn a basketball scholarship has been charged with three counts of forgery and 11 counts of sexual conduct with a minor.

Bail for Anthony Avalos was ordered to remain at $110,865 on Monday, during his arraignment in Yuma Justice Court.

Avalos was arrested Nov. 5 on allegations that he’d been fraudulently attending two Yuma schools — Kofa High School and Vista Alternative School — intermittently since September 2008. He actually graduated from a Florida high school in 2005.

Police say Avalos admitted he created a fake birth certificate to enroll in the schools, and admitted he had sex several times with a girl he knew was under 18.

Investigators say Avalos told them he posed as a high school student because he wanted to play basketball and earn a college scholarship.

An after-hours call to Avalos’ attorney was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Information from: The Sun, www.yumasun.com